Outreach > World Mission Task Force > Nicaragua
Nicaragua Mission Trip
Summer 2011: June 25 - July 2
Our June 2009 Trip Coordinated and facilitated once again by Tom Stephenson, this trip was open to both youth and adults from SPC, the College, and the community. The group of six that answered the call included four SPC members, one veteran of earlier trips from the community, and one Swarthmore College student. A great deal of our planning and arrangements were facilitated by CEPAD (the Nicaraguan Council of Protestant Churches) and our PCUSA mission coworker Doug Orbaker. The delegation was the seventh trip to Nicaragua since 2004 involving SPC members. They traveled to an area east of Matagalpa, the site of our seven partner communities, to renew our relationships with the leadership of the community development group that is working to reduce poverty, support families and improve infrastructure. Earlier this year, SPC dollars helped to fund a micro-loan program which has now helped more than 30 farmers purchase seeds for the spring planting season. The principle goal of the trip was to visit some of the farms that have been the beneficiaries of this program. The delegation spent several nights in the homes of these farm families, adding their labor to the financial support from SPC members, all in the quest to reduce hunger and increase agricultural sustainability.